


Coffee Shops and Broken Hearts

by princeofdont



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Breakups, Fluff, M/M, coffee shop AU, keith and Shiro broke up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-09
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 01:28:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17356388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princeofdont/pseuds/princeofdont
Summary: Lance is a simple barista who gets a bit wrapped up in a beautiful mans life, who he knows is taken and yet can’t help himself when his heart flutters at the sound of his name on Shiro’s tongue





	Coffee Shops and Broken Hearts

The ringing of the bell was pleasant in the homey little coffee shop, the smell of baked treats and coffee wafting from the open door till it closed once more, customers greeted with kind smiles and warm questions; “How’s your day?”, “I hope traffic has been well to you”, simple things. It was one of the many things that Lance loved about working there, the environment always warm and friendly. He was outside fixing one of their signs, with the ending of fall their more seasonal drinks were a new craze, and of course he took his time writing it out and decorating it, a smile on his face and tongue trapped between his teeth. Wind nipped at his nose, his cheeks rose and cold, though he was pleased with his work before returning inside. Work was slow, which was fine by him, smiling as he spotted a few of the more local people in the coffee shop. Some kids from his college studying, some older folk enjoying their little time together, it almost fought tears to his eyes as his heart squeezed happily at the thought. The ringing of the bell brought him back to his senses, though, a warm smile already spreading across his face. “Welcome in to black lion brew, how may I help y- you-“. His face was red, he felt his eyes widen, and immediately he knew he must’ve looked like an idiot. But could he truly blame himself for the heart throb in front of him? 

The man was huge- and Lance was fairly above average height, but this was new entirely. His tank top low cut and showing way too much pale pink skin for the upcoming winter air, chiseled jaw, his soft lips showing perfect teeth as they moved- oh, oh he was talking. “I’m- I’m so sorry can you repeat that?” Lance asked, swallowing thickly and letting out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. The man laughed something warm, and Lance couldn’t help the way he relaxed, smiling gently back. “It’s no problem. Just a plain black coffee and your strawberry iced tea” the man said, quickly adding ‘large’ to both of them. Lance paused, glancing around the cafe. Why two? Maybe there was someone- oh, ah yeah. He sighed at seeing another loner, hair tied up- a mullet?- almost the same work out clothes and two backpacks. Lance deflated just the slightest, smiling a bit smaller as he grabbed the cups. 

“Can I ask for a name?” he asked, sharpie in hand.  
“Keith, for the tea” “That’s such an ugly name”  
The man barked out a laugh, shaking his head a bit.  
“Glad it’s not mine then”  
“For the coffee?”

“Shiro”

Lance was a complete mess the rest of the day, as their hands brushed when he handed the drinks, as he might’ve been caught staring- the mullet guy glared at him, and it hurt just the slightest, but it was okay. Lance was sure of it, because usually people just pop in once unless they were locals. He’d never see either of them again.

Until the next morning, as he was wiping down the counter as he took over the front to let one of his coworkers handle the drinks, the same warm voice shook him down to his core. “Good morning,” the man- Shiro, squinted at him, and Lance stood up just a bit straighter, “Lance.” Shiro smiled wide, and Lance sent him a nervous one back. “Morning Shiro, how are you today?” he asked back, the conversation flowing easily between then as Lance made him another black coffee, so maybe he threw in a bit of creamer. It never killed anyone. He was dressed different, a tight business suit and an untied tie hanging over his shoulders. Lance didn’t want to acknowledge the way his core tightened or his toes curled, wouldn’t think about it.   
“I don’t think that your job would appreciate you looking like a slob” he scoffed out, shaking his head at Shiro’s laughter. “I usually do it at home but I woke up late, or at least I thought so, forgot to reset the clocks.” he said with a sigh, checking his phone before slinking back in a chair as he watched a skeptical Lance, the boy’s eyebrows quirked and lips parting to speak before the bell rang again, and immediately he softened as he went to serve the costumer. Truly, Shiro didn’t have the heart to tell the barista that he’d just gotten off his shift, chucking and smiling as he went on with sipping his coffee.

Weeks passed, and Lance’s fondness for the man only grew each time he came in, which was almost daily now. Their conversation grew between one another, to the point where Shiro had shyly asked Lance for his number while his- boyfriend?- stood by, bristled even as he narrowed is eyes at the blue eyed boy. Normally Lance would be against becoming a home wrecker, or worse a side man, but his stomach churned warmly, his heart fluttering as he nodded his head dumbly, his number on the side of the coffee cup in blue sharpie as he handed it over to Shiro. He still felt eyes on him, but he brushed it off as he turned back to grin a at like grin at Keith. He deserved some happiness.   
It was that night that Lance learned a bit more about Shiro, for one that he was almost thirty while Lance was a fresh twenty three and in college. His usage of emotes were the worst, and yet so endearing in a way.

Lance: [Why don’t you just use emojis?]

Shiro: [I want to put in effort]

Maybe Lance was putting too much thought into it, maybe he was dumb, but maybe, just maybe Shiro was into him. It was well into spring now, and they’ve hung out a few times outside of Lance’s work, even bumped into each other at the store, but Lance was sure this was fate. His heart pounded in his ears as he stared down at his phone, fingers trembling as he had put his heart and soul into the longest paragraph he’d ever written, ignoring all his essays. And yet he deleted it just as fast, his lip caught between his teeth as he sighed out through his nose and laid back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. “Who am I kidding..” he murmured gently, turning on his side. His phone buzzed gently, making him grumble as he pulled the covers closer. It buzzed again within seconds, a wandering hand grabbing the device to merely mute it before the phone lit up.

Shiro: [Can I stay the night]

Shiro: [Please]

It was an hour later where Lance was pacing in the living room of his apartment, breathing in deeply at the gentle knock, opening up the door. He couldn’t even get a word out as Shiro held him close, his breathing hard and ragged. “Hey- hey it’s okay let me just- get the door.” It took a second of maneuvering and coaxing before the door was locked and shut, both of them on the couch. “What happened Shiro?” he asked, a careful hand being placed on Shiro’s arm, his prosthetic, a gentle squeeze brought to it as he watched the others change of expressions, his eyes puffy and red and wet. It all made his heart ache painfully. “I..I broke it off with Keith. And he didn’t take it too well..” Another flow of tears, strong arms wrapping around Lance and bringing him in as if he was the one who needed it, face pressed to his back as his shoulders shook. “He’s- he’s gotten so weird these past few months and I just didn’t need that romantically. And while I tried explaining that- how I still wanted him in my life but platonically he...” Shiro looked up, gun metal grey eyes meeting an oceanic blue before he was holding him closer again, shaking his head. “He doesn’t understand that that’s not what I need. I don’t want that..”

“No one wants that, Shiro” Lance spoke, his hand running through his hair and scratching at his scalp gently. “Why don’t we go to bed yeah? It’s late, and I made my bed up for you too and I can take the couch.” he said, rubbing at Shiro’s arms until they dropped, their fingers lacing together as he pulled him along to his bedroom. The man looked pitiful the entire time, gently sitting on the bed and looking around, a blush spreading through Lance’s cheeks as their eyes met once more. “I need help with my arm..” he murmured, the boy immediately stepping over and sitting beside him. It took a few tries before the clasps came off smoothly, Lance setting the arm on the desk while Shiro gently rubbed at the stub, his eyes downcast.  
There was a question in the air, Lance could feel it in the way he felt eyes rolling over his back as he admired the prosthetic, gently touching the metal and letting out a gentle sigh at the gentle press of a chest, and arm wrapping around his waist and face in his hair breathing him in, his face becoming impossibly redder.

This was inappropriate, he knew, felt it deep down in the way his stomach churned oh so pleasantly.

“Sleep with me?”

“Shiro...”

“I can’t sleep alone..and this is your home as well, Lance.”

The brunette didn’t know how he got in bed, only realized it as he laid on top of Shiro’s right bicep, his left arm wrapped around his waist and chests pressing together as if it were meant to be. Their breaths evened out, Shiro the first to drift asleep while Lance presses a gentle kiss to his neck, allowing himself to bask in such a moment.

Maybe it was a good thing.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on Instagram: @coffeeprincecosplay or tumblr @jungleboyblue


End file.
